Jiang Shu is a second-year Master of Biostatistics student. His hometown is Beijing, China. Jiang graduated from undergrad at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with a degree in Chemistry.
What first sparked your interest in biostatistics?
A final project in an undergraduate course demonstrated to me how precisely disease transmission models can mirror real-world outcomes, as the trends I forecasted closely matched the actual COVID-19 transmission patterns in the county.
What attracted you to the Master of Biostatistics program at Duke?
I liked the three tracks offered to us and our access to extensive data through the Duke Health System. This resource-rich environment allows for practical, data-driven projects that bridge theoretical knowledge with real-world healthcare applications.
What do you enjoy most about this program?
I really enjoyed numerous research opportunities offered to us throughout the year. Opportunities are coming up frequently and first year students can choose their favorite areas of research after a thorough comparison.
What are some of your favorite classes?
I would definitely choose BIOS702, which taught me applications of theoretical statistical knowledge we learned from BIOS701.
I would also recommend BIOS821, which included many useful python programming strategies and version control tools.
What skills have you gained from the program?
Algorithmic and programming aspects of biomedical informatics and the mathematical rigor of statistical inference.
What does the program do well?
Culture of inquiry and support. Faculties in the B&B department are very helpful. From coursework to research, we are always told no question is a dumb question and encouraged to ask.
What's the most challenging aspect of the program?
The most challenging thing is to manage your time for coursework, research, application for job/Ph.D. and personal well-being.
Did you participate in a summer internship?
I didn’t participate in summer internship but participated in summer research.
What type of work did you do for your internship?
I did deep learning work, especially in the area of natural language processing.
What advice do you have for incoming students?
Try to find the direction that inspires you the most and focus on that. Also try to connect with alumni or second-year MS student as they have invaluable experience in the department.
What type of work do you see yourself doing in the future?
I would pursue Ph.D. degree in the near future and after graduation I would probably work as a Biostatistician.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I usually play basketball with fellow MS students at Brodie Gym and go hiking from time to time.